The Chanakya of Indian Politics, Amit Shah has marked the presence of a political party that was earlier considered irrelevant, Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party.
Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called the BSP still relevant in Uttar Pradesh. In wake of the comments, Mayawati thanked Shah for his greatness. Political analysts speculate unravelling of bonds between the BJP and the BSP. But what will the poll results unfold? Is Mayawati still relevant? What is cooking between Amit Shah and Mayawati?
Uttar Pradesh: A state that makes and breaks leaders
The newspaper articles predict that there is a bi-polar fight in Uttar Pradesh between Samajwadi Party and Bhartiya Janta Party, and BSP that was once at the centre of UP Politics holds no ground. The electoral contribution of Mayawati’s Bahujan Samaj Party has been called into question.
Although these claims are looked down upon when a giant leader like Amit Shah praises Mayawati’s relevance.
Mayawati, who currently heads Kanshi Ram’s Bahujan Samaj Party established in 1984 was once referred to as ‘a tall Dalit leader.’ Today, the debate is not on how many seats is the BSP going to win, but to question Mayawati and her party’s relevance in the ongoing assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.
Mayawati has ruled the state and is desperate to mark a comeback. And at this point in time, Union Home Minister’s statement comes to her as ‘sanjeevani’.
Amit Shah marks the relevance of BSP
Amit Shah in an interview with a news channel responded to a question on the relevance of Mayawati’s BSP. BJP leader said that BSP is still relevant in UP, and likely to get most Dalit votes. Amit Shah said, “I don’t know how much of it will convert into seats, but it will get votes.” Union home minister claimed that “they will get votes not only of Dalits but Muslims as well.”
While the BSP chief thanked the Union home minister for acknowledging her party’s relevance, she added that they will get votes not only of Dalits, but Muslims, OBCs, and upper castes as well. BSP chief Mayawati says it was Shah’s “greatness” that he accepted the truth.
She went to slam Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav and said that he has sidelined Muslims, who had supported the party for years, in the wake of ticket distribution. She even called him a “nakli Ambedkarvadi.”
She said, “Samajwadi Party is dreaming of forming government and this dream will be shattered, you all know whenever SP has been in power, Dalits, backwards, poor and Brahmins have been harassed the most.” She reminded the public of ‘goonda/mafia raj’ and the Muzaffarnagar riots.
Shah however declined the possibility of a post-poll alliance with BSP claiming that BJP will come to power with a full majority.
History of BJP-BSP alliance
Bahujan Samaj Party and the Bhartiya Janta Party had joined hands in 1996, under the leadership of Mayawati and Kalyan Singh. Mayawati did not abide by the deal of a 6-month power transfer. The government fell and the destined fate could not be met.
BJP and the BSP are parties whose ideologies are poles apart. BSP is a party that thrives on the ‘politics of minorities’ whereas BJP fights on the ideology of ‘Nationalism’.
Read More: Once a kingmaker, now a nobody; the woeful journey of Bahan Mayawati
BJP leader Amit Shah’s statement is being used to map some possibility of the post-poll alliance but the analysts should look at the bitter history of the alliance.
End Road for Mayawati
BJP leader Amit Shah had turned down the question of the post-poll alliance saying that BJP will win the majority seats and there will no need for any alliance.
Read More: 2022 UP elections will mark the end of Mayawati as a tall Dalit leader
The ticket distribution of the BSP suggests that there is not going to be any post-poll alliance. But the electoral politics of BSP will surely harm the Samajwadi party. Mayawati who once aligned with SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav and was being called ‘bua-babua’ are now political opponents. BSP has fielded candidates in a very spectacular manner, though its electoral gains cant is predicted.
- Upper Caste- 110
- Backward caste- 114
- SC/ST- 93
- Muslims- 86
BSP has fielded the highest number of Muslim candidates, even more than SP, and in many seats, Yadav candidates have been fielded by both parties, which could lead to a split of votes.
Mayawati was once a very powerful politician, she used to influence the decisions of New Delhi. But the kingmaker has been reduced to nobody in the political turf. Mayawati is the old, overworked derby horse that has seemingly reached the end of its career.
Amit Shah’s mention of BSP’s relevance must be to encourage BSP supporters to not give up on Mayawati so they don’t go to SP plus encouraging the Muslim voters to go vote for BSP and not SP. In short, he wants anti-BJP votes to split. Great politics.